A number of incidents in and around the River Medway kept emergency services busy at the weekend.

On Sunday at 12.39am the RNLI's Sheerness inshore lifeboat (ILB) launched to assist a 25-foot speedboat called Bad Boys.

According to coastguards, a faulty fuel gauge left the boat out of fuel with two men, believed to be in their 20s, stuck on board at Chatham Reach, near the Command House.

The ILB took the craft under tow to the Rochester cruising club pontoon where it was secured at 2.10am.

Coastguards checked over both men, neither of whom required medical attention, and gave them safety advice.

At 10.24am the ILB was tasked by Thames Coastguard to reports of a three-metre inflatable dingy adrift in the River Medway off Gillingham.

The ILB crew found the boat at 10.45am and, after checking the two men on board were safe, took the craft under tow to Gillingham marina, where they were met by Medway coastguards and given safety advice.

Later yesterday (Sunday) evening, Medway coastguards were alerted by a passing vessel of four teenagers who looked in danger between Grain and Allhallows.

The teens, all boys aged between 16 and 18, were in a small rowing boat meant for two people.

According to Richard Rodgers, deputy station officer at Medway Coastguard, the boys had become caught in strong currents and two had entered the water to try to push the boat.

Southend all-weather lifeboat was asked to attend and locate the boys, who were then taken to Grain beach where coastguards gave them safety advice.

Other teenagers on Grain beach were advised not to enter the water with similar boats and subjected the three coastguards with verbal abuse.

Mr Rodgers said: "This was the second time in a week our officers have suffered verbal abuse from the public.

"Fortunately, on this occasion, the teenagers calmed down relatively quickly and took heed of the advice offered to them.

"The two boys who had been in the water were shivering and would have suffered from hypothermia had they been in the water much longer. This incident could have had quite serious consequences and shows what can happen if you overload boats.

"It was a busy weekend, because of the weather everyone wants to go out on the water but not everyone thinks of the consequences should you get stuck."

Mr Rodgers said anyone wishing to go out onto the River Medway should carry with them full safety equipment, including lifejackets, a working radio and, if possible, a mobile phone.